Around 11,219 sacks of 10-kilo rice have been sold to members of the vulnerable sectors in the Ilocos Region since the launch of the Bagong Bayaning Magsasaka (BBM) rice program last Sept. 13 to Oct. 15.

National Irrigation Administration (NIA) Ilocos Norte Irrigation Management Office division manager engineer Joselito De Vera, during the Kapihan sa Bagong Pilipinas forum on Tuesday, said most of those who availed of the program are senior citizens or the elderly, Pantawid Pamilya Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries, and persons with disabilities.

Under the program, a person belonging to the vulnerable sector may buy as much as 10 kilos of rice at PHP29 per kilo, or PHP290 per bag, per month.

The supply comes from the NIA Rice Contract Farming Program.

NIA Ilocos regional manager engineer Danilo Gomez, in the same forum, said the alloted 10 kilograms per beneficiary was based on the 120 kilos annual rice consumption of individuals in the region.

“The allocation should be enough for the vulnerable sectors’ members,” he said.

The NIA regional office in Pangasinan, located in Urdaneta City, is selling BBM Rice every Friday. (PNA)